Page:Arrian's Voyage Round the Euxine Sea Translated.djvu/161

160 their pace, they could march 24 miles in the ame time. If this appears to be a greater effort than oldiers in the preent age are equal to, we hould conider the effects of habit and exercie. The armour of our own forefathers, which was eaily carried by them, and under the weight of which they even performed feats of activity, could carcely be upported by a man of moderate trength in the preent age. Vegetius tells us, that in his time the Weight of the armour and proviions, which was carried by the Roman oldiers on thee long marches, amounted to 60 pounds. Yet We have reaon to believe that this was done without any extraordinary difficulty. Their military exercie was a contant habituation to fatigue, whereas that of modern times is more adapted to the practice of quick motions, and rapid evolutions, than to the endurance of hardhip and labour. This circumtance gave the oldiers of antiquity a capacity of performing what We can carcely conceive. Yet we mut not deny what is o incontetably proved, from writers of the bet authority, and indeed from the general tenor of hitory.

Cicero gives nearly the ame account with Vegetius of the Roman